The Thiefmas Song
by Aquailita
Summary: One cold and snowy week in December, two lone souls walking in the snow have what seems to be an imagined Love At First Sighting, but grows into a relationship that lacks what they had before: loneliness and boredom. A thiefshipping songfic based on "The Christmas Song" by Owl City. Written in celebration of 12/23, Marik's birthday.
1. A Song

Summary: One cold week in December, two lone souls walking in the snow have what seems to be an imagined Love At First Sighting, but grows into a relationship that lacks what they had before: loneliness and boredom. A thiefshipping songfic based on The Christmas Song by Owl City. Written in celebration of 12/23, Marik's birthday.

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**I already have all of the chapters typed out. They are dated as if they are taking place in the present time, meaning this month. I will post them on the day that each supposedly takes place, and at specific times if I can. This first chapter should be out on the 17th (AND IT IS YAY I WAS HYPER ALL DAY THINKING ABOUT IT~!). They will all lack the Opening and Ending ANs I usually have so as to preserve the mood of the story. This is the only chapter, except for the last one, that will have an Opening/Ending AN.**

**This chapter is not filler. This is the first official chapter, and not a prologue or pre-chapter. This is chapter 1.**

**Thank you someone for asking this! No, the cover is not mine. I just used it cuz it's super-special-awesome for this. I don't remember where I got it from. But the chances are that it's from Deviant Art. But I found it using Google.**

**The song is "The Christmas Song" by Owl City (I really can't credit him enough, can I?). I do not own the song or any of the characters from Yu-Gi-Oh!. I don't own anything from Yu-Gi-Oh!. And all I own is this extremely romantic and super special awesome (not abridged) thiefshipping Christmas/Winter love story songfic. I do not own the story cover. No copyright infringement intended, and no offense intended*.  
**_(Someone reviewed on a little alert pre-posting of this fic saying that using the song was breaking the rules. I would like to say that it's breaking the rules if one copies, not if one CREDITS or QUOTES, a work not in the public domain. So if that person is reading this again, there you go. Get over it.)_

***See EndingAN**

**R&R**

**ENJOY~! **

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_~December 2012~_

* * *

A wintery month.

The holiday season.

Snow and celebration.

And a song...

* * *

The Christmas Song  
by Owl City

It's Christmas  
And we walk alone  
Two strangers with no one to miss us  
On our own  
Out in the cold

Trudging onward  
Braving a harsh winter storm  
You and I  
Met passing by  
And now our spirits feel warm

I don't have anyone at home  
To talk to  
And you don't have anything  
To do  
So I'll spend my Christmas with you  
I'll spend my Christmas with you

It's Christmas  
And we are in love  
With the way that the soft snowflakes kiss us  
From far above  
The blustery breeze

Trudging onward  
Braving a harsh winter storm  
You and I  
Met passing by  
And now our spirits feel warm

I believe that Jesus is truly the only way  
I celebrate Christmas because it's his birthday

I don't have anyone at home  
To talk to  
And you don't have anything  
To do  
So I'll spend my Christmas with you  
I'll spend my Christmas with you  
I'll spend my Christmas with you  
I'll spend my Christmas with you

* * *

Two people- both in black boots and coats, one with purple gloves and violet eyes, the other with red gloves and brown eyes- walk through the snow, each needing something that the other can possibly provide...

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**Check out my video on You Tube, which I will upload on December 23. My username is TAquailita if you want to look for it that way. The video should be called "The Thiefmas Song: A Christmas Thiefshipping AMV". [EDIT: here is the link: /watch?v=lA3h59P4eIk ] I should also have the link to this fanfic in the video description.**

***Also review if you mind me doing the part based on "I believe that Jesus is truly the only way/ And I celebrate Christmas because it's his birthday". I wouldn't want to religiously offend anyone. **

**See you next chapter!**

**BYEEEEEEE~!**


	2. And we walk alone

_~12/18/12~_

* * *

o/`And we walk alone  
o/`Two strangers with no one to miss us  
o/`On our own  
o/`Out on the cold

* * *

Marik walked along the streets of Domino, looking for a particular shop. He was looking for firewood for the fireplace, even though his house was warm enough and there was no one to enjoy the fire with. But he wanted something to do, and a reason to be out with people, even if he didn't talk to anyone. School was closed because of the harsh weather expected that week. Ishizu was probably still busy with whatever she did all the time. Calling was out of the question. But she would still send him something for his birthday, along with the money she usually sent (and he had already recieved) the week before so he could treat himself.

_Oh, there it is..._ He found the place he was looking for. A holiday store. He went inside.

As he browsed, a song that the store was playing caught his attention. _I think I know this song..._ he thought. _The artist I think... The name of a bird and then "City"? I don't remember exactly..._

o/` o/` o/` o/` o/`  
_It's Christmas..._  
o/` o/` o/` o/` o/`

_Yes... I know this song..._ He felt like the song fit how he felt every Christmas. And birthday. But he shook off the negative feelings and carried on.

He bought the firewood and a string of white Christmas tree lights.

Then he left. He wasn't in a hurry because he had no one to hurry home to.

.

Bakura walked along the shops, looking for someplace to rob. He had almost run out of money and felt like doing _something_ festive like putting up garland or whatever these pathetic humans did on Christmas. Anything to keep the boredom at bay. Maybe he should go bother Ryou. School was closed due to the weather forecast for the week, so he would be home... No... Even that idea wasn't appealing. And it would probably lower his "allowance". Speaking of money... Maybe he should buy the kid a cream puff or two. It might make him lighten up a bit...

Oh there it was... He had reached the holiday store. He went inside.

He did what he usually did. He stole stuff from the store. He wouldn't be caught because he was an expert thief and did this often.

Then out of nowhere, he had the strangest urge to get purple, yellow, and red Christmas light bulbs. Um... WTF? Or was it FTW? Who even cares?

Then a new song started in the store and caught his attention.

o/` o/` o/` o/` o/`  
_It's Christmas...  
_ o/` o/` o/` o/` o/`

As he listened to the song, he realized how much it fit how he felt. Sort of. He didn't bother with those kinds of emotions. He didn't care.

He quickly finished up with whatever criminal things he was doing and left. Then he stopped by the pastry shop to buy Ryou a cream puff and hurried home, even though there was nothing to do there and no one was asking him to hurry back.

.

.

Two lone souls, so close and yet so far. They don't know each other and have no reason to meet.

But Fate has plans for them...


	3. Trudging onward

_~12/19/20~_

* * *

o/`Trudging onward  
o/`Braving a harsh winter storm  
o/`You and I  
o/`Met passing by  
o/`And now our spirits feel warm

* * *

It was snowing. And two people were outside.

The same two people walking the same route they always did. One of them was out because he wanted to see if anyone interesting was out. The other was out because he wanted to see if anything interesting was happening. But both found nothing. Which would have been no surprise to them... had they bothered to pay attention to the weather report for that afternoon like everyone else had.

The winds suddenly picked up and it started snowing harder. The two lone wanderers hugged themselves trying to get warm.

Bakura realized that he had stupidly forgotten to put on his gloves, so he reached his shivering hands into his pockets and took them out then put them on. At least his head was warm.

On the other hand, Marik's thin purple gloves did nothing to keep the cold or snow out. But like with Bakura, at least his head was warm and his nose wasn't red or running as it usually was.

It started snowing harder. The white fury of the wind seemed to remind the two walkers how cold and alone they were. The snow was starting to stick to their boots and it was getting hard to walk through the streets.

They put their heads down so the harsh wind wouldn't bite at their faces. Bakura shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, trying to keep warm, and felt the hard shapes of the small things he had stolen that day. Marik pulled his hat down tighter and readjusted the bag around his wrist to keep it from brushing against the snow.

They both were freezing despite their warm clothing. They shivered. At the same time, a few feet from each other, they briefly looked up to make sure they weren't walking into anything. While still looking up, they noticed each other. Their eyes met.

It was a perfectly normal occurence. Just two people on a cold snowy day, simply passing by on the way home.

But this was different. Because for some reason, they held the other's gaze as they passed.  
But this was different. Because time seemed to slow for the two of them as they looked into each other's eyes.  
But this was different. Because for the first time in... wow he couldn't even remember how long it had been... Bakura felt a warmth inside him that confused and comforted him. And he knew that it was because of this nameless passerby.  
But this was different. Because for some reason, Marik saw this random passerby, not as a stranger, but as a potential friend. Though it was probably a hopeless fantasy, he still liked the idea and the warmth it brought him.

But this was different. Because not every two people passing by each other have what might be seen, but neither of them saw yet, as love at first sight.

They passed.

They looked away from each other.

Bakura rapidly blinked as he snapped out of... whatever he had been in. _What was that?_ he wondered. _What the hell just happened to me? What was that? I probably just imagined things because my mind is as bored as I am. I couldn't have possibly felt something even remotely close to a personal connection to someone. And not some random mortal I passed on the street. I don't feel those kinds of things. Not even to Ryou. But why do I..._

Marik was having the same kind of reaction. _What just happened?_ he asked himself. _Did that person just do some random psychic emotional thing to me? What was that wierd feeling I just had? No, I can't have felt something friendly towards some random person I don't even know. And even if I did, it probably wouldn't happen anyway. My lonely mind was probably just making things up. Right? But why..._

Both of them ended up brushing off the incidence from their minds. The thoughts of it were brushed out of their minds like the snow they brushed off their coats.


	4. I don't have anyone at home to talk to

_~12/20/20~_

* * *

o/`I don't have anyone at home  
o/`To talk to  
o/`And you don't have anything  
o/`To do

* * *

Marik and Bakura were out again. This time they were just walking around the neighborhood. They took the same route, but in different directions.

Then it started to get colder than they expected. They started to hurry home. They picked up their pace.

They took the same route they always did, not knowing that they were going to and from the same place.

The two winter wanderers, heads down to shield themselves from the cold, didn't notice each other.

Thinking they were alone, they complained to themselves. With each word, they took another hurried and desperate step closer.

"I wish..." Marik said.  
"I wasn't..." Bakura said.  
"So..." they both said.  
"Alone," finished Marik. "Bored," Bakura said at the same time.

With their final word, they heard each other at last. They looked up at the last second.

And colided head-on with each other.

Because they were going somewhat fast, they fell back into the snow. Neither Bakura's hair nor Marik's hat did anything to prevent a hard collision.

"Dammit!"  
"Oof!"

They both rubbed their foreheads in the spot where they had bumped. They managed to sit up. When they did, they both blinked in surprise and recognized each other. "You again?" they said at the same time.

Bakura was able to pick himself up and stand up. He brushed the snow off of his black trench coat and shook his head to shake the excess snow off his hair.

"Um... A little help here?" Marik said. He held out a hand. It looked like he was in too deep to get out by himself.

If it was anyone else there in the fallen person's place, Bakura would have just laughed at them and walked away. But it wasn't anyone else. It was... him. So he grabbed the hand and helped him to his feet.

Marik found his balance and let go of the other's hand. "Um... Thanks."

"Uh... You're welcome?"

Marik raised an eyebrow. "Why did you say it like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like it was a question. What you _aren't_ welcome for helping me? I _shouldn't_ thank you?"

"No need to have an attitude about it!" Bakura snapped "Maybe I should just push you back in."

"Okay okay okay fine!"

The two stood there in silence. Then Marik broke it. "Um... Thanks."

"You already said that."

"No I mean... For... I don't know... I guess for talking to me..."

"Oh... Right... You're lonely apparently."

"And you're bored out of your mind."

They blushed ever so slightly at the knowledge that the other person had heard them admit their heart's biggest current issues.

"So uh..." Marik said. "What's your name?"

Bakura blinked in surprise. "Wh-why do you care?"

Marik shrugged. "So I can call you if I fall in the snow again."

"Yeah right." But after a moment, he decided to answer. "Bakura. Yours?"

"Marik."

They stood there silently, just looking at each other. Purple gazing at brown.

Then Marik broke the silence. "Well I should probably get going..."

"Yeah me too..."

"Maybe I'll see you some other time?"

"For both of our sakes... I hope not." Bakura walked around Marik and continued heading home. Marik watched him recede for a second, then turned away and also continued walking home.

Both of them thought as they walked away, _I hope I see him again._


	5. And you don't have anything to do

_~12/21/20~_

* * *

Marik walked through the alleyway, taking a shortcut home through them to avoid the worst of the storm.

However, someone else had the same idea...

Bakura walked through the alleyways as well, looking for some poor, ignorant, and unlucky soul to attack and rob. He did this at least once almost every week. And this week was no different.

In the alleys they were both in, they noticed someone approaching from the other direction. Marik moved aside to give whoever it might be room to pass, while Bakura acted innocent and casual so as not to alert his victim.

The alley was dark and a bit wet from the snow that fell between the buildings above. They didn't recognize each other.

About two feet away from each other, Marik put his head down, Bakura picked his head up. Bakura lunged at him and punched him in the side.

Caught off guard, Marik quietly cried out in surprise and was thrust against the wall. He hit it sideways and slumped down to the cold and wet ground.

Bakura ran to him and grabbed him by the collar of his coat and slammed him against the wall. Marik screamed. Bakura covered his mouth with his gloved hand. "Do not scream again or I will hurt you more than I have to. Now what do you have on you?" He removed his hand.

"Oh my gosh please don't kill me I didn't do anything I don't have anything on me let me go plea-mmgmhph!"

Bakura had put his hand on Marik's mouth again. The alley was dark, but he had excellent eyesight and could still make out some shapes and colors. He saw purple. In the person's clothes and eyes. And he recognized the voice! It was...!

"Marik?!"

Marik suddenly recognized his attacker's voice as well. "Bakura? What the hell! Why would you...?"

Bakura let him go and backed away fast. He covered his mouth and shook his head. "Oh no... I'm sorry I didn't know! Why are you here?!"

"To get out of the cold. Why are you here?! Trying to rob me?!"

"No no no no no! I didn't know it was you! I do this often and it's become habit for me. It was just automatic! Honestly! But you really shouldn't have been walking here at this time anyway! Wouldn't you be at least a little bit wary of this kind of place?"

Marik's anger had worn off and was replaced with confusion. He didn't know Bakura very well, but he somehow felt that Bakura wasn't one to be apologetic or care about the wellbeing of others. So why was he like this now?

Marik walked up to Bakura and punched him lightly on the shoulder to make him shut up. It worked. He stopped his apologetic rant. "Shut up and calm down. I forgive you. It was an honest mistake. Well actually it was criminal, not honets, but still a mistake. If I didn't know I was me, I would beat me up too if I wanted to rob me."

Bakura laughed a bit and shook his head. "That made absolutely no sense."

"Yeah well... Whatever."

Bakura finally realized how desperate and apologetic he had sounded. He had no idea where that had come from... No wait... He knew... It came from the same place that he had felt that warmth just yesterday. Was it really yesterday? Yes... He and Marik had run into each other three days in a row. And although he usually said 'screw destiny', he had no doubt that it would probably keep happening this week.

"So... Three days in a row," he said. "What are the odds. Why do you keep coming out in this mess? Haven't you learned your lesson when you fell yesterday?"

"Haha no I didn't. I'm out because... Well I'm bored... I just like to roam around. And I have nothing better to do."

"No one at home you could be bothering instead of getting yourself  
into trouble like this?"

"No..."

"I thought not..."

"Well I have a sister," Marik said as he rubbed the spot on his arm where he had hit the wall. "But she doesn't live with me. She lives in Egypt. But she sends me stuff sometimes. I wish I could see her even though I know she's too busy to visit..." Marik shook his head realized that he was rambling on about his private life to some stranger that he had only met three times and only knew by name. "B- But that doesn't matter. Why are you out here? Being a criminal?"

"Actually yes I am. I'm a thief. And I'm good at it too. Had I not recognized you, you would have probably been bleeding on the floor and I would be waking away with your valuables."

"No you wouldn't because I don't have anything of value on me, like I said. And why are you stealing stuff? You don't have any money or something?"

"No... My uh... relative.. gives me money as well from time to time. Kind of like an allowance. Actually more like bribery. He sends me money, I leave him alone, and we don't bother each other."

"Your brother?"

"No... Not really... We live near each other but don't visit often because we have no reason to."

"So you're lonely as well then?"

"Ye- No!" Bakura shouted defensively. "I'm not. I don't have or need anyone. I am perfectly fine being on my own. I'm not like you. I can take care of myself. I'm just bored, that's all. I don't need someone to talk to, I need something to do."

"And I don't need something to do, I need someone to talk to."

With those two complementary statements, another silence fell upon them. The only sound to be heard was the wind. The only things moving were the snowflakes that fell from the sky, their coats as the wind played with them, and Bakura's hair. And their blinking eyes.

They finally felt like it was time to leave.

"So, Marik... I guess... Hehe... I guess I'll bump into you tomorrow  
then."

Marik laughed as well. "Yeah right. I'll try not to get mugged or fall in any snow tomorrow."

They smiled and turned away. They continued walking as if nothing had happened. The two were actually in very similar situations. They both needed something in this white, boring, and lonely world.  
But the difference was that Bakura knew what he wanted and knew where it was. Marik knew what he wanted, but couldn't see where it was.  
The difference was that Bakura still felt the way he did two days ago, while Marik had shoved those feelings aside and ignored them.

The difference was that Bakura was going to do something about it.

.

Bakura headed home. He reached the building that he and Ryou lived in. And as he always did, he spent a few seconds reading the last names of the other people who lived here. Taylor, Samoa, Aifeka, Soren, two Bakuras (Ryou, who's label said R. Bakura, and his own, which just said Bakura), Smith, Jeoviah, Kiram, Ovlia, Ishtar, Samson, Carlos... The list went on. He lived on the 6th floor, Ryou on the 5th floor in the apartment directly below his. The building had 7 floors. Sometimes, he liked to hang out on the roof. Both the stairs and the elevator went all the way up there. Once, he had actually tried to jump from the roof to the fire escapes of the 7th floor. Obviously with his mad skillz, he was successful.

He went up to the roof now and sat on the edge of the building. He looked out at the city below him and sighed.

"That Marik guy..." he said aloud to himself. "Why did I suddenly start caring about someone? What's happened to me? Maybe I'm just going soft. Ryou is corrupting my emotions. I... Oh who am I kidding? I-" He didn't want to say it out loud, even though he was alone and no one could hear him. _I'm in love with a stranger._ "I'm going to find him again. I just... have to I guess?"


	6. So I'll spend my birthday with you

**This chapter means that we survived. They were wrong.**

* * *

_~12/22/12~_

* * *

o/`So I'll spend my Christmas with you

* * *

As usual, Marik and Bakura were out and about. And as usual, it was snowy. And snowing. But today it was not that bad.

For Marik, this was typical. Every year, the day before his birthday, there was a small birthday cupcake from Ishizu waiting at the pastry shop for him. He was out getting it now.

Meanwhile, Bakura was in the exact same place on an errand for Ryou. An errand that he didn't plan to complete and probably wouldn't have done anyway.

Then he heard someone talking to someone else at the counter. Why did that matter? The name.

"Hello again, Marik Ishtar. I have it right here."

_Marik?! I knew it! Why do we keep bumping into each other?_

Bakura navigated through the small store until he caught sight of. Marik, then hid behind a shelf and watched.

"As usual, your sister paid for everything."

Marik smiled at the small red box the man behind the counter handed to him.

"Thank you as always, Mr. Jacobus."

"Happy Birthday for tomorrow, Marik."

"Thanks. Have a nice Christmas!"

"You too."

Bakura watched Marik walk away with a smile on his face. Bakura followed, forgetting all about why he had gone there in the first place. He watched Marik exit the shop, and watched his smile fade as he walked through the door with the small box.

_Marik Ishtar, huh? Why does his last name seem familiar?_

Bakura shrugged and followed him home. _And his birthday is tomorrow..._

At some point, Marik looked over his shoulder. Bakura hid just in time. But when he did, snow fell on him.

Marik thought he felt someone following him. And if his ears weren't mistaking him, whoever it was just had a bunch of snow fall on him.

"Damn it!" the person said in a harsh whisper.

Marik shook his head and kept walking.

Bakura shook off the snow and looked around. Marik was gone. Wait... How did that happen?! It had never happened before! Ever! He must have been distracted by more than the snow.

He could still follow Marik's footprints, which he hadn't lost sight of. Or he could head home and call it a day. He kept walking. Without knowing, he did both. He managed to follow the footprints home. And for some reason he arrived at his own building. Which was odd. Was Marik visiting someone here? It didn't really matter. It's not like he could just knock on random people's doors and ask if Marik Ishtar was visiting them.

Bakura stepped inside, thought of something, and froze. _Marik..._ He looked at the listings of all those who lived in this building. And there it was.

Ishtar.

The name was on the sixth row of names, meaning he was on the seventh floor, and directly above his own and Ryou's names. What are the odds of that?

They had bumped into each other three times- four if you counted today- in three (or four) days in a row. And they lived in the same building. _And_ they lived directly above and below each other!

Again, Bakura didn't believe in Fate or Destiny. He believed that people were in control of their own fates and that only the past had any impact on the future. But now... he was having doubts. This could _not_ simply be a coincidence. It obviously meant something. He and Marik were probably meant to be. Probably.

Wait... If Marik lived here, the surely he would have noticed that the name 'Bakura' was listed here. And _twice_, no less! But it didn't matter. For now.

What _did_ matter was Bakura's next move.


	7. So I'll spend my winter with you

**The vid is up...**

* * *

_~12/23/12~_

* * *

o/`So I'll spend my birthday with you

* * *

Marik woke up at exactly 8am without an alarm clock, as he usually did from December 22 to December 25. But while the 22nd and 24th were just preparatory days for him, the day in between was more significant.

His birthday.

The first thing he did after getting out of bed and eating breakfast was go to his computer and check his email. He had six new emails. All of them said "Happy Birthday". (Except one that was just spam. Which, almost as a joke, seemed to have to do with Spam.)

One from Ishizu, written at exactly 1:00 that morning. One from one of his teachers who knew him well, sent yesterday. Two from two of his schoolmates who he had given his email to for a group project once, both sent around the same time just a few minutes ago. One of them had made it all fancy and colorful and even included a random funny picture that she knew Marik would like. And one from an unknown, sent at exactly 12:00 today. All it said was "Happy Birthday. Have fun in the snow! ;)"

Usually, he only got those first four. Who was the unknown emailer? First of all, what was with the evil wink? Perhaps it was from someone who happened to know when his birthday was and asked one of those other four senders for his email address. Could be. The suspicious thing was that he couldn't look at the address of the mysterious sender. Maybe they just wanted to hide their email address because they didn't know him well enough? But then why bother sending him and email if they didn't know each other? It was definitely suspicious...

But Marik didn't think much of it and silently thanked the anonymous person. Then he smiled and replied a quick 'Thank you' to he other four, adding a bit more to Ishizu's reply, and turned off the computer. After that he changed out of his pajamas into a simple black sweatshirt and matching sweatpants.

He spent the time from then to the afternoon decorating the lame-ass tree with the boring white lights he had bought last week. Then he started setting up the logs.

To anyone else, having a fireplace in an apartment building would have been odd. But Ishizu's job paid well and she actually paid for the installation of one, which was only possible (or allowed) because he lived on the top floor. It was better than having to pay for heat, which saved money and made up for the cost of the fireplace. Now if only there were such things as iceplaces...

Everyone else who lived on his floor or had visited the roof at some point knew about it and had grown used to the idea. And surprisingly, no one was jealous of him.

He found a box of matches and set it in front of the fireplace to light it later, then got up and made himself lunch.

As he ate, he looked at the tree, unlit and bare. _Maybe I should have bought some colored bulbs? Maybe in purple or yellow? Or red. Red is an okay color, too._

.

When he finished lunch, he decided to hang out on the roof. On his way to the staircase that led there, the few people he passed wished him a happy birthday to which he replied "Thanks".

He stayed up there for about half an hour, just looking down on the city, thinking about the people who sent him emails (not including the unknown person), and practicing his aim by throwing snowballs at a snowman he made for exactly that purpose. He would destroy it later when he left.

Who exactly was he practicing his aim for? Though he knew a lot of the people in town, he wasn't truly close to any of them. The only person he could think of that he would really like to throw a friendly snowball at was...

Bakura.

That Bakura guy... Marik was sure he felt something towards him that he couldn't put his finger on. He assumed that it was just a longing for a friend. But maybe it was more than that?

He honestly couldn't tell...

_I didn't run into him yesterday_, he realized. _And I haven't seen him today so far. But that doesn't mean anything since he probably doesn't even know where I live. And even if he did, he wouldn't be able to find me because we never told each other our last names..._ He frowned and threw another snowball. It hit the snowman in the head and knocked it off. He smiled. 'Next time I get a chance, I'm going to do that to him.' He decided that it was time to go inside. On his way back to the stairs, he jumped on the snowman to destroy it.

.

By the time he got back inside, it was starting to get dark. It was still light out though. He decided to watch some random movie that was on. Then he turned to the fireplace. Then to the fridge. He hadn't opened the box with the cupcake yet. But now he wanted to.

He retrieved the box from the fridge and opened it in front of the fireplace. He smiled at its contents. The same cupcake she gave him every year, along with a candle. And this time, he saw when he removed it from the box, she had also given him a little card. Something new. It was like the card that he had received on the email that morning, but more personal and more for siblings. "Miss you, sis." he whispered.

He looked at the window. It had gotten darker. And if the weather report was right (he had learned his lesson after being caught in the storm three days ago), it was also colder.

Perfect.

He took out a match from the matchbox and lit the birthday candle. Then he held it up to the fireplace with the intention of using it to start the fire.

But there was a loud knock...

At the window.

"What?!" Marik cried out in surprise and turned to the window. Had he been mistaken? No one was there. Or was there?

He stuck the candle in the cupcake and walked over to the window. As he got closer, he noticed the elbow of a black coat sticking out. Someone WAS there! But who?

Marik opened the window. Cold air rushed inside and blew out the candle. Shivering, Marik stuck his head outside the window and looked around. He saw a person with long white hair and a black trench coat standing on the fire escape.

"Bakura? What are you doing here?!"

Bakura turned his head when he heard Marik opened the window. "Hey there. Let me in?"

Marik ducked back inside to go get a sweater. He zipped it up and climbed out the window. "How did you find me?!" he asked. "And why are you here?"

"Can you just let me in?"

"Wh... Why should I?"

"Because it was a bitch climbing up here carrying this," he carefully swung his arm around to show Marik the box he was carrying with one hand in a transparent bag. The bag had the logo of the same pastry shop Marik (and, unbeknownst to him, Bakura) had been at just yesterday.

"What were you doing there?"

"Oh nothing... Just getting your name... And your address... And what's inside this box. By the way..." Bakura winked somewhat evilly. "Did you have fun in the snow like I told you to?"

Marik gasped and put a hand up to his mouth. So the mystery email was from Bakura? However he did it, it was reason enough to let him in. Marik motioned to the window. "Um uh... Come on in."

Bakura climbed inside the window and headed straight for the kitchen. "Honestly, don't you thieves know how to use the freaking door?" Marik called as he closed the window.

"That question contradicted itself. I don't even use my own door."

"You're weird."

Bakura walked back in. "You weren't really going to light that, were you?" he asked, pointing to the small birthday candle from Ishizu.

"I already did," Marik told him. "But the wind blew it out. And why are you here? How did you even find me? And where did you get my email address from?"

"Let's go up the list, shall we?" As he talked, he walked over to the closet and hung his coat on a hanger, then took off his boots and put them by the door. "I got your email address from your friend Mr. Jacobus. I just asked. It was actually quite boring because I didn't even need to threaten him."

"Why-"

"As for your address," Bakura interrupted, "I overheard your last name yesterday when you were there..."

"So you were spying on me?"

"...and when I got home I happened to notice that you live directly above me."

"I- what? You live in this building too?"

"Isn't that what I just said? I'm right down here." He pointed at the floor, under which his apartment was. "Now you know. But one thing I don't understand. You knew my name, yet you didn't even notice it listed twice on the wall downstairs. How do you not notice something like that?"

Marik shrugged. "I dunno. I never really look at that list. Never needed to. And even if I had noticed it, I would have probably written it off as a coincidence." Marik didn't even consider the fact that Bakura had mentioned that the name was there _twice_.

"Whatever. Anyway... The answer to your first question is in the kitchen. And it's _waaaayyy_ better than what you have in front of that fireplace."

Marik looked at the cupcake there, then back at Bakura. "What do you mean?" he asked a bit defensively. "In case you didn't know, that was from-"

"Your sister? I know. But mine is better."

"Your... what?"

"Come."

Marik sighed and followed Bakura into the kitchen. "So what's in the bag anyway?" he asked, walking up to the bag and poking it. "What did you buy from there?"

"A cat."

"Don't be sarcastic."

"The box! I bought this. Obviously."

"You actually _bought_ something with _money_ as opposed to stealing it? Wow I'm impressed."

"Yes I do crazy things sometimes. But if I had to I would hae stolen it. But I couldn't exactly steal something I have to ask for."

"Okay, Bakura. Where are you going with this? What did you get?"

Bakura smiled and removed the bag. He held a hand on the lid of the box and blushed. "Happy Birthday," he said as he opened the box.

Marik looked at what was inside. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

It was a cake. It was circular and decorated differently on either side. One side had purple frosting and read "Happy Birthday Marik" in gold icing. The other side had red frosting and read "Merry Christmas" in green icing. In the very center, overlapping both halves, was a small white snowflake with a tiny aquamarine (December's birthstone) in its center. It was beautiful.

Marik was speechless. He stood there staring at it for a few more seconds, thinking about how perfect it was and what this gift meant, before Bakura poked him in the arm to make sure he was still alive.

The poke snapped him out of his daze. Then he, to put it simply, glomped Bakura.

"Holy shit!" Bakura shouted in surprise, clearly caught off guard by the total tackle-hug. "Marik..."

Marik smiled wide and squeezed Bakura tight. "Best birthday present ever," he whispered.

Bakura smiled and hugged back.

It took him a few seconds to register that Bakura was hugging back, at which point he realized what he had just done and abruptly broke away. "Oh um... Sorry about that!" he rambled. "It's just that this is the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a long time and I just didn't expect this and it's so perfect I just..." He moved closer and gave him a second, much milder hug. "Thank you... So much..." He broke away again. He felt a warmth in his cheeks and realized he had been blushing. He silently willed the blush to go away, but it didn't work. "One more question I have for you..."

"What?" Bakura finally said.

"Why?"

Now it was Bakura's turn to blush. "Well um... Because..." He looked away. "Because I think I..." Again, like on the roof, he just couldn't say the words aloud. He wasn't used to expressing his emotions out loud, even when alone. He prefered keeping his feelings to himself and letting his actions speak for his mind and heart. And that was with people he couldn't care less about what they thought. Here and now was someone he _did_ care about, so it felt ten times harder to say it.

_Well he _did_ just hug me_, he reasoned. _So I'll let him decide what happens now._

"Um... Bakura... Hello? Anyone there?"

He hadn't zoned out or anything, he simply hadn't answered. Which made Marik concerned. "You okay? Are you gonna answer my question or what?"

"I...will let you answer it yourself."

_What?_

Bakura put his hands in his pockets and casually walked out of the kitchen, as if he was just checking up on something and hadn't just sidestepped a question that was a big deal to Marik.

So...why? The two of them were still technically strangers. They weren't even friendly enough to be acquaintances. Of course, this encounter had certainly changed that. Marik could read people fairly well. He could tell that Bakura wasn't the type of person to go out of his way to do nice or even remotely helpful things for other people. So why start now?

Marik knew the answer. He was sure of it now. And thanks to Bakura, he no longer had any doubts about his own answer.

"Marik... This is honestly the dullest Christmas tree I have ever seen."

"Shut up," Marik replied with a quiet laugh. He walked over to Bakura and stood right next to him.

"You figure it out yet?" Bakura asked him.

"Yup."

"Well then why do you think I did it?"

Bakura held his breath. Maybe the hug was just an impulse reaction. Maybe he was just really grateful. Then why were they holding hands?

Wait what!

Yup... They were.

"Me too," Marik whispered. "I-..." Maybe Bakura didn't want to say it, but he would. He tiptoed and whispered in Bakura's ear, "I fell in love with you too."

Bakura gasped. Not only did Marik understand how he felt _and_ was okay with it, but he also felt the same way. "When did this happen?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"First day," Marik automatically responded.

"Same here."

"At first I thought it was just me meeting someone and feeling desperate to befriend them. But later I realized that it was something more. Passing you by that first day really seemed like-"

"Love at first sight," they said at the same time.

"Yes... Thank you again... For giving me the best birthday present ever."

"And thank you."

"For?"

"For giving me a purpose in life. And someone to love and make me smile. I haven't...been able to feel anything for anyone in...such a long time."

"You're welcome."

They wrapped their arms around each other in a warm embrace.

Bakura then broke away and headed for the kitchen. "Where are you going?" Marik asked.

Bakura stopped for a second to reply, "Where do you think? I just bought you a birthday cake, with actual money, mind you, and you don't even consider actually eating any of it? I'm getting it now. I'll bring it over there."

Marik smiled and moved over to the fireplace. "Hey aren't you going to ask why I even have one of these?"

"No. I've heard the rumors that someone on the seventh floor has a rich relative and paid for it. I know it's you. Saves money and pays for itself, doesn't it?"

"Mmhmm."

Bakura walked back in the room. He had taken the cake out of the box and transferred it to a large plate. He also brought out two smaller plates, two forks, and a knife.

Marik noticed the last of these, and immediately ran over to grab it.

Bakura smirked at him. "What? You don't trust me with a knife?"

"I don't even trust you with a plastic butter knife."

"Thaaaats niiiice..." He sat down cross-legged and put a plate in front of each of them. "Match?"

Marik held the matchbox in his hand, but shook his head.

"Oh come on! I'm not a arsonist!"

"I know! I'm just messing with you." He handed it over.

Bakura took the candle that Mr. Jacobus had put in the box himself and stuck it right on the dot of the i in "Marik". He took out a match and struck it against the side of the box, then lit the candle. When the flame caught, he threw the match into the fireplace.

"Go ahead," Bakura whispered. "Make a wish or something."

Marik smiled. He blew out the candle without a second thought.

As soon as the candle went out, the logs in the fireplace caught fire and flared up, creating the illusion that blowing out the candle had lit the fire.

After a few moments of silence, Bakura said, "Not to complain, but that was awfully quick for a birthday wish."

"It didn't need much thought," Marik explained, "because it already came true." He put an arm around Bakura's shoulder and pulled him close, then one hand on Bakura's knee. After a moment, Bakura did the same and placed his hand on top of Marik's.

Marik got up for a few moments to turn off the lights in the kitchen and living room, leaving only the light from the fire, and sat right back down in his original position.

Bakura freed his arms and reached for the cake to remove the snowflake. Before he could figure out where to put it, Marik gently took it from him and stuck it on Bakura's forehead. Bakura rolled his eyes but said nothing, grabbed the knife without any protest from Marik and cut it down the middle, splitting the birthday half from the Christmas half.

He then cut two slivers of cake from the birthday half and put each one on a separate plate. He gave himself and Marik one plate each, along with a fork. "Happy Birthday," Bakura whispered.

"Thank you again," Marik whispered back.

"You know... I've never actually tasted anything from that place before so could you tell me in advance if this is any good?"

Marik nodded. "'Course. Stuff from there is always good." He took a forkful of cake and put it in his mouth, then continued to talk as he ate. "Especially the stuff that..." he trailed off and his eyes widened. "Holy crap..."

Bakura looked at him with concern. "Uh... Marik?" he asked worriedly. "You okay? What is it poisoned or something?"

Marik slowly shook his head, then swallowed. "No. It's just that... Wow... The best I've ever tasted. You got one of the better ones. And that's saying something."

"I guess it's safe then?"

"Obviously!"

"Good." He picked up a forkful and shoved it in his mouth. "Because if I were to have died from eating food that I bought from someone else, I would probably react by killing them... Hm...wow this really is pretty good."

The two continued to eat as they talked. "How could you possibly kill me? You would have died already."

"I never die."

"...Okay seriously?"

"Yup. I'm like several thousand years old. Literally. Well my spirit is..." He saw Marik open his mouth, probably to ask a question, but help up a hand to stop him. "I'll tell you about it another time."

"Fine. But anyway why would you kill the person you bought it for? Kill the person who sold it to you."

"That isn't how I work. I wouldn't have bought it otherwise. And I don't do people favors. So if I _did_ do someone a favor and I died because of it, that is reason enough to personally punish them."

"That's nice..." Marik said with a laugh. "You really are something..."

"I know. I know."

"You know what I think? I think you just might be full of yourself."

"You got that right. I'm totally arrogant. And evil too. But it works for me so don't complain."

"Who was complaining? Not me..." Marik set down his empty plate and wrapped his arms around Bakura's waist. "I don't mind..." he whispered.

Bakura smiled and replied by putting an arm around Marik's shoulders and drawing him close until Marik was leaning on him. "Love you, Kura..."

Bakura set his plate down as well so he could put his other arm around Marik. "Love you too Marik."

"Thanks for the email again. You're very resourceful. Mr. Jacobus told you? How did you get him to do that?"

"I just asked yesterday and said I was a friend of yours."

"Oh. Can I get yours then? I couldn't see the email address there."

"Not now. Just add the sender to your contacts. I don't feel like telling you right now."

"Why not?"

"Because you're probably going to get up to write it down."

"The problem with that?"

Bakura hugged tighter. "I don't want you to get up..."

"Fine..."

They sat there for a little while, about five minutes maybe. Just enjoying each other's company and the warmth of the fire. They were both silent.

They watched the orange flames dance around and felt physically warmed by the fire, but emotionally warmed by the other's presence.

Then Marik quietly broke the silence. "Bakura?"

"Hm?"

"Does this mean that... Well are we...?"

"Go on..."

"Are we a couple now? Like...together? We are, right? I mean at this point it's pretty obvious."

Bakura shrugged a bit and nodded slowly. "I guess we are. Why not?" He close his eyes and nodded once confidently. "Yes. We are. You're right. It is obvious at this point. You are mine and I am yours... Right?"

"Right."

They stopped talking for a few seconds more. Then Marik shyly asked, "Um... I know you have your own place literally right downstairs... But are you... Um I don't know. Staying here tonight?"

Bakura blushed, but the warm orange glow of the fire hid it. "Well I would say that it's a bit early for that. But I will stay over tomorrow night."

"Why? What's tomorrow night that isn't tonight?"

Bakura looked at Marik with an 'Are you serious?' look on his face. "Um... Christmas Eve. Unless that tree is just for show and you don't really celebrate it..."

"Oh I do... I do. I just forgot..."

"Of course you did."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you fail."

"What?"

"You fail for not remembering Christmas Eve and you fail for not finding my name on the wall once I told you it."

"...Oh whatever."

Another pause...

Then they felt like all of the tension had died away and the conversation had died with it. It was time to part for the day.

"Well, Marik... I think it is time for me to get going. I'm not doing anything here and we can do something tomorrow. I can't stay here all night." He started to get up.

"Kay... No wait!" He pulled Bakura back down.

"Hm? What is it?"

"Come here..."

"Hm?" Bakura leaned in closer...

Marik put his hands behind Bakura's head and pulled him closer still, planting a kiss on his lips.

He was caught off guard for a moment, but was kissing back within milliseconds.

They continued for a few seconds before Marik let go. They smiled at each other. Marik remembered to take the snowflake off Bakura's forehead. Then Bakura stood back up to finish what he was doing.

Bakura went to the closet and retrieved his coat then went to the door and picked up his boots. "Wait where are you going?" Marik asked as he put them on.

"Leaving, like I said. I'll be back tomorrow."

"I know that you're leaving. I'm just wondering why you're putting your stuff on."

"It's cold outside! I'm not going to freeze my ass off just because I live right below you."

"Wait... You're leaving through the window! Aren't you?"

"Obviously."

"Why? I have a door!"

"I left through my window. The keys are still inside my room and the door is locked."

"Oh... Still... Oh nevermind. Who am I to question your strange habits?"

"No one. Good night."

"Night."

They hugged goodbye, then Bakura opened the window and climbed through it. Marik watched as he descended the fire escape and climbed into an open window below. Marik shook his head, thinking of all the snow that must have blown in.


	8. And we are in love

_~12/24/12~_

* * *

o/`And we are in love  
o/`With the way that the soft snowflakes kiss us  
o/`From far above  
o/`The blustery breeze

* * *

"I already stole an apple so don't worry about me having breakfast."

Bakura was there. Just sitting at the kitchen table, wearing the same blue and white striped shirt and blue jeans he had worn yesterday. His coat and boots and gloves were on or by the couch.

The window was open.

"Lemme guess," Marik said, still sounding slightly asleep. "You came in through the window?"

"Guilty as charged. Now have breakfast. I want to go somewhere."

Marik quickly complied and got dressed, then suited up for the snow. They left, as per Bakura's request, through the window. They closed it as much as they could from the outside then carefully climbed down.

Marik knew the town well, and knew the perfect place to go. He led Bakura there.

A huge snowy field.

.

The two sat on a random huge rock, watching the snow fall.

Marik looked at Bakura, and noticed the snowflakes gently settling in his white hair and blending into it.

Curiously, Marik removed one of his gloves and reached his hand up to Bakura's hair. "Marik," Bakura said when he noticed. "What are you doing?"

Marik didn't answer. He just kept moving his hand until it touched the cold, wet, white hair. "The snowflakes in your hair... They don't melt. Why not?"

Bakura blushed slightly. "Well... Don't make fun of me... But my hair is so fluffy that the top of it isn't close enough to my head to be warm. But it acts as insulation. Which is why I never wear a hat."

As Bakura asked, Marik didn't make fun of his fluffy hair or try to pet it or call him a kitty or anything ridiculous like that, which people almost always did when they found out how fluffy his hair was. But he did say... "Hm... I guess people bother you about it a lot, huh? Call you Fluffy or a kitty cat and bullcrap like that?"

Bakura nodded.

"Well I won't. I promise. But I do like the fact that it doubles as a hat... And as a snow collector!" Marik quickly brushed Bakura's hair with his hand and gathered up all of the snow that had built up there. Bakura flailed around for a moment trying to escape. Then Marik took a few steps away, held out a miniature snowball, and threw it right at Bakura.

He dodged and it missed. He smirked at Marik. "My first reaction would be to start and all-out snowball fight with you that you couldn't survive, but I'll let this slide..." He quickly made a mini-snowball as well and threw it at Marik, purposefully just missing his face. "For now."

Marik smiled and shook his head and sat back down next to him. "So your hair and skin are as white as snow... Must be nice to blend in out here."

"Haha," Bakura said sarcastically. "Very funny..."

Marik didn't hear. "Snow-kissed..." he mumbled.

Bakura heard. And he thought about it. Then he smiled. "Marik..."

"Hm?"

"You're snow-kisseed too," he said with a blush that wasn't due to the cold.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this." Bakura wrapped his arms around Marik's shoulders and pulled them closer together. Their lips and noses met.

Marik blinked in surprise for a moment, but then closed his eyes and kissed back.

Their lips and tongues embraced the warmth of the other's mouth and absorbed it. Their noses, red and cold, tried to steal what little warmth there was in the other.

After a minute or two, they separated. They gazed into the other's eyes lovingly for a moment, then turned away and watched the snowflakes falling. Marik's hand still lacked the glove he had removed and Bakura's hand had lost its glove during the kiss. But it was okay because those two bare hands were now intertwined and keeping each other warm.

* * *

o/`I don't have anyone at home  
o/`To talk to  
o/`And you don't have anything  
o/`To do

* * *

"White brown blond purple," he murmured.

"What?"

"Oh um... Just the colors of our hair and eyes."

"Actually my eyes aren't brown. They're actually violet brown. Or red brown. One of those. My eyes used to be violet, kinda like yours."

"Really? What happened? You got contacts?"

"No... I got a body."

"?"

"Well..." How was he going to explain this? The only way he could, that's how. He unbuttoned his coat and pulled the Millenium Ring out from under his shirt. "I used to inhabit this."

"Oh my gosh you have the Millenium Ring!"

"Y-... You know of this?"

"Um... A little secret... I'm a former tombkeeper. I know all this stuff already."

"Oh okay then..." Bakura chose to wait until another time to ask about _his_ past and the tombkeeper thing. "So long story short: this thing somehow gave me my own separate body and my former host let me keep the Ring. But when I was in my original body millenia ago, my eyes were purple like yours are."

"So that's why you're all alone..."

Bakura sighed. He hadn't thought that the conversation might turn in this direction. He didn't really like talking about this, but he did anyway because he was talking to Marik and he wanted to tell someone. "Sort of. I had some elaborate plan to get revenge on someone, but that plan lost meaning and purpose long ago. Now I'm literally just a wandering soul with no purpose. All I do in my spare time, meaning all the time, is steal and cheat my way through life. And check on my host once in a while."

"Oh, so he's your 'relative' who gives you money that you don't bother using?"

"Exactly. His father sends him money occasionally and he gives me half or 25%, depending on how happy he is with me. But that money usually is gone within two or three weeks."

"What do you spend it on?"

He shrugged. "Just things."

"When was the last time you actually bought something?" As he talked, Marik started re-buttoning Bakura's coat for him. "Besides the cake, I mean."

"I think it was a cream puff. For him."

"Hm... You sure do talk about him a lot. You don't ever do anything with him?"

Bakura laughed. "Of course not. When we shared a body, I treated him like total crap. He says I abused his soul... which I did. We didn't care about each other at all. He only helps me because he feels sorry for me and I only help him- if ever- because I'm bribing him. Win win."

"But you're still bored?"

"Yup." He side-glanced at Marik and smiled, then put an arm around him. "But not anymore."

Marik smiled too and did the same.

They sat there silently for a while longer. Then they silently decided to head home.

As they walked, Marik talked. "I suppose I should tell you some of my back story since you told me some of yours..."

"Go right ahead."

"The thing is... I used to be a tombkeeper, but I didn't want that kind of life. I rejected it. Um well actually..." Marik hadn't actually thought this over. "Well the thing is some complicated stuff happened which I would rather not talk about. Yet. But the thing is that I made up for what I did and I moved here. Ishizu stayed in Egypt because she works there. She rarely has the time to visit, but she always sends me money and gifts and cards and stuff like that. Sometimes I visit her. But for the most part she isn't part of my life here. However, the fireplace is a big reminder of her for me which is why I always light a fire in it at least once every week in December and January. Yesterday was that day this week."

"You're Egyptian..."

"No... Really?!" Marik said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes. "How could you tell?"

"Oh shut up... What I meant was that if you're Egyptian... Do you celebrate or practice Christmas?"

"Wait what? What's the difference?"

"Celebrating is when people decorate a tree and tell stories about Santa and buy presents and all that whatever crap. Practicing is actually lighting some kind of wreath and some prayer... What I'm asking is do you celebrate Christmas because you're Christian? Or for the hell of it?"

"Oh... Because I can."

"That's what I thought. Because I know that Egypt has it's own gods and all that stuff."

"Oh I gave up on the Egyptian Gods long ago."

"Really?"

"Yup. They gave up on me. So I gave up on them. Sort of."

"I know how you feel. I always felt like they gave up on me, too. So I don't even care anymore."

"Yeah... So all I do is just decorate the tree because I have nothing else to do."

By this time, they had reached the building. Bakura held the door open for Marik, then Marik opened the inside door.

"So you just bought boring white lights?"

"Yup. No one else is going to see it so why bother?"

"Hm... Lights..." Bakura mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Oh I just remembered! I had the most random urge to buy colored replacement light bulbs a few days ago. Now I know why!" _Because fate was having fun with us..._

"What?"

"I'll go get them." He pressed the button to call the elevator. "Well actually we'll just both stop by and pick them up."

"Okay."

They entered the elevator. Bakura pressed the 5.

"Wait why are you doing that?" Marik asked. "Don't you live on the 6th floor?"

"I left them with someone else. He lives on the floor below me."

"Oh, okay then."

They stood there silently and waited. The door opened on the fifth floor and they exited.

Bakura led Marik to Ryou's apartment. Marik unzipped his coat and took off his gloves and hat while they walked. Bakura did the same. Then he sent a tiny alert to Ryou that he was coming.

He stopped in front of Ryou's door.

"Wait a sec... Why did we stop here?" Marik asked.

"Because he lives here."

"Are you sure?"

Bakura rang the bell. "Of course I'm sure. Why else would I have led you here?"

"But this is-"

The door opened. Ryou stood in the doorway, wearing clothes similar to Bakura's. "Hi Bakura," he greeted shyly.

"Ryou," Bakura said with a nod of acknowledgement.

"Bakura! So Ryou is..." Marik was too stunned to finish his sentence.

Ryou caught sight of his second visitor. His eyes widened. "Marik? What are you doing here?"

Now it was Bakura's turn to be surprised. "Wait... You two know each other?!"

"Yeah," Ryou answered. "We go to the same school and share a few classes. But we're not that close."

Bakura looked at Marik for confirmation even though he knew Ryou was telling the truth.

Marik turned to Ryou. "Ryou... You were his..." He lowered his voice. "You were his... host?"

"Ahem... Marik he prefers the term 'hikari'," Bakura said with a smirk. "It's easier to deal with and it doesn't make sound like I was a parasite to him."

"Well you were..." Marik pointed out quietly.

"Oh shut up, Bakura! What do you want?" Realizing that he was shouting, Ryou closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Oh I'm sorry... Marik you can come in if you want... Bakura you can't."

Bakura rolled his eyes and leaned against the doorway. "Don't be such a little bitch, Ry."

"You two are adorable..." Marik said, shaking his head. He walked over to Bakura and grabbed his hand. "And be nice Bakura. Ryou, can Bakura come in too?"

Ryou saw the hand and was curious. And he was going to let them in anyway. He stepped aside. "Come in," he said to them.

Marik let go of Bakura's hand and walked in.

Bakura followed, sticking his tongue at Ryou as he passed.

"Hmph," Ryou responded as he closed the door. "By the way, Marik, happy belated birthday."

"Thanks."

"So what did you need?"

"Something something something, Christmas tree lights," Marik answered.

"Oh those!" Ryou exclaimed as he realized what Bakura wanted. "Okay! Good thing I didn't need them." Ryou walked to a closet and rummaged around in it for a few moments. Then he walked out holding three small boxes of tiny light bulbs. He handed them to _Marik_, who was sitting on the couch. "Here you go."

"You know, since I asked for them it would make more sense to hand them to _me_," Bakura said from where he sat on the other couch.

"He doesn't like you!" Marik said with a smile.

Bakura responded by sticking out his tongue.

"What's with the tongue?" Marik asked jokingly. "You want me to bite it off or something?"

Bakura shook his head a bit, then purposefully looked at Ryou. He was warning Marik not to talk like that.

Ryou caught the meaning of the gesture before Marik did. "Oh speaking of which..." He wandered over to Bakura and put his elbows on the arm of the chair, then rested his head on his hands. He looked at Bakura and smiled a small, cute little grin. "When did this happen...?" He asked innocently, yet tauntingly.

"When did what happen?"

"Don't play dumb... How did you and Marik meet?" As he talked, he slowly moved his face closer to Bakura's.

"Get away!" Bakura tried to push his face away. "Aren't you supposed to be pissed off at me or something?"

"_Teeellll_?"

"No!"

"_Baku~~_..."

Bakura leaned away from Ryou and gave Marik a pleading look. "Marik please get this annoying cream puff away from me."

"I don't mind if you tell him."

"I mind."

Ryou finally stood up and moved away. "Okay. I'll leave you alone... For now."

"Ugh... Marik can we go now? Please? I have what I came for!"

"He can stay if he wants. Marik do you want anything to eat or drink?"

"No thanks. I think we should get going. Before Bakura hurts someone."

"Alright. Nice to see you outside of school. Make sure you keep him on a tight leash!" Then his eyes widened, his expression turned disgusted and he shook his head. "Um... Make sure you keep him in line."

"Uh..." The way he said it bothered and confused Marik a bit. But he decided not to ask him about it and just ignored it for the moment. "Okay... See you some other time Ryou."

"Right. Bye Bakura! Don't come back unless you wanna talk."

"Hmph."

Ryou found a bag to put the lights in and opened the door for them. He waved as they exited, smiling at Marik and pouting at Bakura. Bakura just 'hmphed' again.

The door closed softly behind them and they heard it being locked.

"What was that?" Marik asked. "That thing about keeping you on a tight leash? He seemed flustered or embarrassed when he said it. Do you know what happened with that?"

Bakura chuckled. "Oh nothing..." he replied with a smirk. "I just corrupted his innocent and ignorant mind, that's all. And he knows it."

"Corrupted?" Marik repeated with a raised eyebrow. "What was he thinking?"

"Maybe I'll tell you when your older."

"I already turned older yesterday! And I know what he thought. I just wanted to hear it from you."

"Yeah yeah that's nice. I'm just glad he didn't put a cat joke in there. Now let's get out of here before he comes back to bother me." Bakura raced to the elevator. Marik sighed and rolled his eyes and followed.

"I take it that this is why you rarely spend time with him?" Marik asked once they had entered the elevator. He pressed the 7.

"Yup," was the simple and obvious answer. "We cannot spend more than five minutes in the same room without us getting into an argument, one of us pissing the other off, as you just saw, or me scaring him shitless. I prefer those days when I do the third one because at least I'd be enjoying myself."

"...You're evil."

"I know. I was wondering when you would figure it out."

"I figured it out when you tried to mug me."

"Again!" Bakura cried out in exasperation. "That was an _accident_! And besides, criminals aren't necessarily evil. They're just bad. I'm actually evil. Should I go into detail about my revenge plan that failed and left me with no purpose in life?" The doors opened and they walked out. "Or about the dark being that I was working for?"

"Another time. I don't want to ruin the mood."

"What mood?"

"The festive mood!" Marik shouted cheerfully. "What are you going to do with these lights?"

"Make your tree interesting."

"You gonna replace all of the lights or some of them?"

"Don't know yet. Usually I don't care. The only time I ever do anything festive for any holiday is when Ryou pays me to help him."

"Why bother getting your own place? Why not stay with him?"

Bakura raised an eyebrow and glared at him. The look said 'why do you think?'

"Point taken."

"Besides, he would be bothering me about cleaning and we would fight over the bathroom and a bunch of other stuff I don't want to deal with. He would not last a week before pissing me off and making me hurt him."

"Wow... You two... I don't even know."

"Let's not talk about him any more."

"Agreed."

They had reached Marik's door. Marik unlocked the door and entered, put his coat in the closet. The first thing he did was close the window. Bakura followed, but stopped in the doorway. He looked around in wonder. "Whoa! This is amazing!"

"What?" Marik turned around to find Bakura looking around in amazement like an idiot. "What are you doing? You've been here before."

"Yes. But I've never used the door before!"

Marik laughed. "Oh shut up and stop being and idiot!" He ran over an dragged Bakura inside by the arm. Bakura dropped his coat on the floor. "Move your ass already!" Marik backtracked to pick it up and put it in the closet as well.

Bakura stopped pretending to be amazed and grinned. "But I'm not kidding. I never used the door. Only the window. We even left through the window this morning."

"Well don't make a habit of it." They sat down and took off their boots. Marik put his by the door. Bakura threw his next to the door and his perfect aim made them land right next to Marik's. "If you're going to be visiting often I'd rather open the door for you, not the window."

"What do you expect? I'm a thief. I don't know how to enter people's homes through the door."

"Well you'd better not steal anything from me."

"Why would I? I can just ask... Wait a sec..."

"What? What is it?"

Bakura stood up and looked around. He put a hand on the Millenium Ring that hung from his neck. Marik watched as it glowed and a few of the points stood up on end. "Wha-"

"Shut up." Bakura walked in the direction the Ring pointed. He was walking towards Marik's room.

"Hey where are you going?" Marik shouted after him, but made no move to stop him.

Moments later, Bakura reemerged waving a golden rod.

"Look! I found the Millenium Rod. You never told me."

"Put that back!"

"How about no? And I just got the best idea ever." Bakura stole a chair from the kitchen table and dragged it over to the fake evergreen tree. He stood on the chair and unsheathed the hidden blade of the Millenium Rod. "Catch," he told Marik, and threw the bottom part at him. He caught it easily, but glared at him and wondered how he knew about it. Bakura started messing with the top of the tree. Marik tried to see what he was doing, but Bakura's hair was blocking his view.

A minute or two later, he finished and stepped off of the chair. While he put it back in the kitchen, Marik looked at the tree.

He had tied the Millenium Ring and Rod together and to the top of the tree. The Ring was upside-down.

"Interesting thing you did there," he remarked.

"Interesting? It's brilliant!"

"Suuurrreeeee Mr. I Dont Use Doors."

"Why do you never let things go? I bet that a year from now you'll say to me 'hey remember that time when you didn't use the door?' and I'll just laugh and say yes."

"Hey Bakura!"

"Yes Marik?"

"Remember that time when you didn't use the door?"

"Shut up Marik."

.

There was still some firewood that Marik hadn't used yet, so they set it up and lit it.

They spent the rest of the night talking. They opened up to each other. Marik, about his sister. But nothing about his past in detail. Bakura, a little bit about his life before the Millenium Ring and _why_ he wanted revenge, not necessarily how or what the revenge was.

In the later hours, Marik started dozing off. He fell asleep leaning against Bakura, using his fluffy white hair as a pillow. After a while, Bakura picked him up and carried him to bed.

Just before he left the room, Bakura planted a kiss on Marik's forehead and whispered "Good night, Marik. Merry Christmas and happy birthday."


	9. So I'll spend my Christmas with you

_~12/25/12~_

* * *

o/`So I'll spend my Christmas with you

* * *

Marik woke up early. The first thing he thought of was that Bakura was here and it was Christmas. He sat up and yawned and stretched. He rubbed his eyed and looked around. Bakura was nowhere in the room.

"Kura..." he called out sleepily. "Where u b at?"

No answer.

"Meh..." He would find him later. He headed for the bathroom to brush his teeth and change and stuff like that. When he was done, he left his room to go have breakfast. As soon as he left the room, he noticed Bakura sitting cross-legged in front of the tree. "Took you long enough to wake up. Come here." He pointed to the chair in front of him that faced the tree.

With no other ideas, he complied and sat in the chair. "What now?"

Bakura said nothing and held his arms out on either side of him. Then he swung them together above his head and his hands met in a loud _CLAP_!

As soon as he clapped, the tree lights suddenly lit up and the Millenium Ring and Rod glowed, the five points of the Millenium Ring standing up on end like a star.

Marik gasped and beheld the sight wide eyed and opened mouthed. Instead of the boring white bulbs that had been there before, all of them were replaced with purple, yellow, or red lights. Some of them blinked. Some of them faded in and out. Others stayed solidly lit.

Marik jumped when he felt arms wrap around him. Bakura had snuck next to him while he had been looking at the tree. "Bakura... It's beautiful... When-"

"Last night," Bakura answered before the question had been finished. "Merry Christmas," he whispered before turning Marik's face to kiss him. As they kissed, Marik returned the hug.

Bakura broke away first and turned to the tree. He waved a hand at it and the Millenium Items faded and went limp. "Can't keep this up all day," he explained. "That's fine. Hey did you happen to make breakfast?"

"Too much work."

"And the tree wasn't?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't love you _that_ much. Besides I think I have... What was it called? Selective laziness? Yeah that's it!"

"You're full of it."

"Marik... Make breakfast please?"

"Fine." He started to get up.

Bakura pulled him back down. "No wait!"

"What?"

He paused for a moment before answering. "Oh wait nevermind." He removed his arms and let him go.

"Hm..." A bit suspicious but whatever. He went to the kitchen.

.

Meanwhile, Bakura unlocked the door and quietly slipped outside. He closed the door quietly behind him.

He hurried to the stairs and ran up to the fifth floor.

He the door he was heading for was already opened. He walked up to Ryou. "What do you want?"

.

By the time Marik was done, Bakura was already sitting at the table. "Okay seriously were you like the thief king in a past life or something? Or a ninja?"

"Actually Marik, I was exactly that. The Thief King. That is literally what they called me. I even had an army."

"Impressive."

"I know." Marik set down the plate in front of him. Bakura stared at it, then looked at Marik. "What are you having?"

Marik set his plate down.

"Really? Cake for breakfast?"

"Why not? I wanna finish this off before I start the Christmas half." He shoved a forkful in his mouth.

"...It's still weird."

"You shouldn't be talking. Cake this early in the morning is nothing compared your eating and entering habits." He pointed his fork at Bakura as he talked. Then, without warning, he swiped it across his cheek. Bakura tried to dodge but failed, and he now had four purple stripes of frosting going across the side of his face.

He rolled his eyes and pointed to it. "You'd better plan on cleaning this up."

In response, Marik got up and walked over to him, sat on his lap, licked all of the frosting off his face, then got off him and sat back down. "You're welcome," was all he said.

Bakura got a napkin and wiped the saliva off of his face and replied, "Thank you."

"So... Do you plan on telling me where you went while I was busy?"

_Damn it! This is the second time..._ "How did you know I was gone? Did you hear the door open or close?"

"No. I turned around and you were gone. So what were you doing?"

"Ugh..." He got up from the table and walked over to where he had hidden the box, under a couch cushion. "Here," he said, holding it up. "This is for you."

Marik put their empty plates in the sink then walked over to him. "What is that? Another one? Honestly you're spoiling me, which I don't need."

"Hmph... It's not from me."

"Who is it from then? And why do you have it?"

Marik took the box and opened it as Bakura said, "Ryou has waaayy too much free time on his hands."

It was a snow globe. Like the really nice ones that had little flakes in the water instead of those cheap ass little foam things that get blown around by air. And it was handmade. Recently. Inside, there were two people skating together on a frozen lake.

Those two people were Marik and Bakura. The amount of detail in it was astounding. Even the clothes and hair looked just right!

"Wow..." Marik whispered. "This is amazing! Ryou made this? How? It's just so perfect! And detailed." Marik shook it and set it down on the side table, watching the little 'snowflakes' fall. "Does he do stuff like this often?"

"Sort of. He does lots of little projects. He has like a dozen strange and useless- but sometimes creative- hobbies. Apparently this is his latest one."

"Wait... When did he tell you this and why didn't he just bring it here himself?"

"The paint had just finished drying when he told me. I went straight over there."

"How could he have possibly told you if I was with you the whole time?"

"Oh. We have a mind link because we shared a body for such a long time. He just sent me a mental message. Just don't ask me anymore. I don't feel like going into detail about it now."

"That's fine."

"Anyway, he had already been working on this when we came over. He had finished everything up to the lake and the skating figures. All he had to do was shape and paint them, put the water and flakes in, then seal it. After we left, he decided to make the figures look like us... As a tribute to our... relationship..."

"You don't like the fact that he knows..."

"Nope. He's going to bother me about it later unless he gets to you first. And even then he will bring it up a lot."

"Then why are you smiling?"

Bakura _was_ smiling. "Because... I... Well I gave him an honest hug when he showed it to me."

"Awwwwww isn't that nice? You touched Ryou in a caring and non-violent way! And it was a hug! Truly a Christmas miracle!"

"Oh shut up." he lightly punched Marik in the arm. Marik returned the punch.

"Huh... I think because of you I'm starting to not hate him as much."

"Oh stop that! You know you never hated him. And it was the snow globe, not me. Wasn't it?"

"Fine you got me! I'm actually grateful to have him around and blah blah blah. I'm bored!"

"Really now? What I'm not entertaining enough for you?"

"You are. But talking about Ryou is boring. Let's go outside so I can murder you."

"Wait WHAT?!" Marik cried out, suddenly worried.

"I mean challenge you to a snowball fight. Although those two are really the same thing."

"Haha! That's what you think. You're on! But first..."

Marik went back to his room to get something. Bakura tried to watch him from where he sat and see what he was doing.

Marik came back with an envelope. "You're not the only one who likes to spend money on other people," he said as he walked back. "And I refuse to be the only one being spoiled." He held it out. "Here."

Bakura looked at it for a moment before slowly reaching out a hand to take it. He sat down. Marik sat next to him once his hand was emptied.

Bakura slowly opened the envelope. He removed its contents. It was a card.

It had a snowy field on the front and a poem. He read aloud.

"When I think of dull colors I'll never think white/ Because it glitters and glistens and sparkles so bright/ And I'll never fear a snowstorm at night/ Because my heart is warm and you filled it with light" He looked at Marik with an extremely bored expression on his face. "Marik... Not that this isn't nice and poetic and all, but this is extremely cheesy."

"I know. Which is why I spent money on the inside. But I suck at drawing."

Bakura looked back at the card and opened it partially, just enough to see what was there. Inside, on the left, was a cute and not-so-expertly-drawn stick figure drawing of the two of them having an adorable little snowball fight. On the right were the words "Happy Holidays" and a little heart over the i. "I have to say, this is cute."

"Open it more," Marik instructed him.

"Hm?"

"Oh my gosh..." Marik gently opened the card for him. Once it was fully opened, Bakura heard music start playing. In surprise, he close the card. Then he realized that he knew the song playing. He opened it again.

About ten seconds later, the artist started singing. o/`_"It's Christmas... And we walk alone..."_o/` "M-marik... This..." Bakura was speechless. This was the perfect song for right now. Just perfect.

"I know. I actually did a bit of my own techy thingies with the card. I know how to do that stuff. I heard this song in a store last week and I thought..."

"I also heard this in a store last week."

It was The Christmas Song by Owl City.

As the music played on, they both realized that they must have been in the same store at the same time to have heard the same song. Bakura mentioned it. "I guess fate just made it that way..." Marik commented. "Or something."

Bakura was about to say 'I don't believe in Fate.' But instead, he said, "Well thank Fate for this then..."

o/`_"You and I, Met passing by, And now our spirits feel warm"_o/`

The song continued. As it played, Marik briefly explained that he had removed the original sound card of just jingle bells and piano music, then replaced it with a sound card of the song that was now playing. He was actually quite good with that kind of stuff.

Bakura quietly sang along with one part. "It's Christmas, And we are in love, With the way that the soft snowflakes kiss us, From far above, The blustery breeze..."

Marik sat there and listened, entranced by he sound. "'Kura... You have a nice singing voice."

"Thanks. I know. If only I could use it as a weapon... Well anyway thank you. I wouldn't normally accept cards from people, especially ones with poems as cheesy as this one. But this is so perfect, I can't possibly not keep it. Also you would probably like hate me or something."

"I wouldn't hate you!" Marik reassured him, drawing him into a hug. "I'd just bother you..." he omitted the words 'In a Ryou-like way', "and ask you why until you keep it."

"That's nice... But anyway..." He closed the card, the song had finished by then. He got up and walked over to the window. "I'll be right back." He put on a sweater and his boots, then left with the card.

Marik sighed and shook his head. Then he got both of their coats from the closet and put on his own. Bakura came back within seconds. "I still don't have my keys," he explained. "And I always have the window open a bit and rigged so anyone besides me that tries to enter gets hurt. Obviously it works because I know what I'm doing."

"Right... If I ever need to commit a bank heist I know who to call."

"Interesting thing. With one of my past hosts I actually did that and got away with it."

"You're just..." Marik shook his head trying to finish the sentence. "I don't even know."

"You can finish that sentence later. But let's go now." He put on his coat while Marik put on his boots.

"Right. Apparently I'm going to die out there."

"You are. It'll be a shame though."

"Hey. I may not be as agile as you, but my aim is just as good."

"Suuuurree," came the sarcastic reply. "We'll see... Let's go."

* * *

**But there's one more chapter left...**


	10. The Last Note

**I did this chapter on impulse at the last minute. This is totally unscheduled, so I hope it turns out okay. This is the last chapter. I hope that this doesn't turn out crappy and screw up the ending. But whatever...**

**R&R**

**ENJOY~!**

* * *

_~Still 12/25/12~_

* * *

Later that day, a few minutes after the snowball fight, Marik suggested that they bring something to Ryou...

.

He sat down near the tree, smiling at the contents of the box that he had just opened.

Then the doorbell rang. He jumped a bit, startled, but relaxed when he sensed who was there.

Ryou got up and opened the door to Marik and Bakura. "Hey guys!" he greeted happily. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Ryou!" Marik said. He was holding a large plastic food container. The container wasn't see-through. "Nice shirt."

Ryou glanced down at his adorable red T-shirt with a large green Christmas tree ornament with an adorable smiley face on it. "Oh yeah thanks. You coming in?"

"Sure." Marik tapped Bakura, who was silent, and walked inside. They both sat down on the couch and Ryou closed the door.

Ryou sat down in the armchair. He was about to ask about the container when he noticed something about Marik and Bakura's faces. They each had a faint, barely noticeable bruise on one cheek or the other. "Uh... what happened to your faces?" he asked with concern. "Did you hurt yourselves?"

"Uh well..." Marik looked at Bakura for a moment, then smirked and looked back at Ryou. "Hehe... Snowball fight."

"What!" His eyes widened and focused on Bakura's face. "Haha! Marik you actually nailed him right in the face?! For real!"

"Yup!"

"Wow! That takes skill! I'm impressed! Even when he's caught off guard I can never hit Bakura with anything I throw at him." Bakura rolled his eyes, mumbling something to himself about the third time Marik overcame his skills. Ryou ignored it and changed the subject for everyone's sake (but mostly Bakura's). "What's in the container?" he asked Marik.

"Cake," Marik said, handing him the container.

"Oh thanks! You made it?"

"I bought it," Bakura muttered.

For some reason, Ryou laughed at that. "Seriously? You bought something instead of stealing it? I'm impressed."

"It was personalized," Marik explained with a smile. "Just for me. It said 'happy birthday' one one half and 'Merry Christmas' on the other. This is a piece of the Christmas half."

Ryou took it immediately to the kitchen and put it in the fridge for later. "Thanks guys!"

"You're welcome!" Marik called back. "And thanks for the snow globe. It's so nice! And creative!"

"Oh you're welcome!" Ryou replied with a blush of modesty. "I do stuff like that all the time. It's just one of my things."

"Yes one of your many 'things' that you 'do all the time'," Bakura said slightly sarcastically.

"You're very welcome too, Baku!" Ryou said to him.

"What's in the box?"

Ryou looked back at the box he had just opened, then back at Bakura. "Oh nothing much. Just something my father sent me. It's just a little figure for one of my games."

"Which one?"

"Do you really care?"

"Nope."

"Anyway..." Marik said, interrupting them. "We didn't get you anything. Sorry. Only the cake."

"That's alright. I really don't need anything from anyone, but I have no problem with accepting gifts. So Bakura can you show me the card later?"

"Wha-! What card?" He narrowed his eyes when he realized... "You nosy little..."

"Kura..." Marik warned.

"Why were you being nosy in my mind?"

"I wasn't!" Ryou said honestly. He averted his gaze and explained. "You were just thinking so much about it and felt so happy... And when you rang the bell and I sensed you were as the door, there was this little wave of joy that passed through our bond and I also heard the thoughts of where it came from and..." He finally looked up and saw that Bakura's face had grown red. "Aw... Bakura you're blushing..."

"Sh-shut up Ry..."

"Kura... Is that true?" Marik asked. "You really liked it _that_ much? I know you liked it but I didn't think..."

"Yes, Marik. I absolutely loved it."

"And the snow globe! I know you like it more than you're letting on!"

"Shut up, Ry."

"Aw Bakura..." Marik moved closer to Bakura and pulled him into yet another warm embrace, then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Marik!" Bakura whispered harshly. He lowered his voice and said, "Ryou..."

Ryou heard him anyway. "It's okay," Ryou reassured him. "I'll leave you alone about it. Marik is good for you. I think he's starting to make you less of a criminal."

"Sorry to dissapoint. Not gonna happen. Go ahead and try to find your favorite cereal. I guarantee that it's still not in the cubboard."

"So it was you! I knew it!"

"Yeah I'll give it back and that's your Christmas present."

"Thank you anyway."

Marik laughed softly at the two of them. "You two are so adorable when you argue."

"Oh stop saying that!" Bakura jokingly poked Marik's cheek.

"Hey watch it!" He drew back and put a hand on his cheek where Bakura had poked. "My face..." He had poked dangerously close to the bruise.

"You two really had a snowball fight and hit each other in hte face? That snow isn't the softest, Marik. You know that. Especially in that big field."

"Actually some random kid hit him," Bakura said. "Little bastard must have put some hard snow in the snowball."

"And I must have picked up the same snow when I made the one that hit you."

"Wow... Bakura this just isn't your week, is it?"

"Hmph."

"Anyway Ryou we should..."

"You're leaving? Aw..." Ryou looked disappointed that Marik... and Bakura... were leaving. But he smiled again. "Well I was hoping you could stay for longer. But that's okay. Maybe I'll stop by later... If Bakura doesn't mind..."

"Kura?" Marik looked at Bakura pleadingly and hopefully.

"Meh..." he said after a few seconds. "Fine. As long as you don't annoy me too much."

Ryou laughed. "I promise I won't. I know we don't get along and I really hate our past but... It's Christmas so why not lighten up? Love you, yami."

Marik and Ryou held their breaths, waiting for Bakura's response. After a while he finally said... "Hmph... Love you too... hikari."

"Yay!" Ryou jumped up and ran over to Bakura. Marik let go of him so Ryou could give him a hug.

"UGH! GET OFF!"

Marik laughed as Bakura tried to escape. Ryou finally let go and smiled wide at him. "Bye~!"

Bakura stood up and quickly walked over to the door. "Don't make me reconsider letting you stop by later."

"Oh leave him alone, Bakura. It's Christmas. Everyone has a right to be hyper today."

"If anyone should be hyper it's you," Bakura said to Marik. "What with that cake you had this morning."

"Haha... Anyway bye guys~!" Ryou opened the door for them. They walked out, hand-in hand. Marik waved.

.

All thoughts of Ryou were left behind as they walked away. They first headed back to Marik's place to take care of their bruises becasue they had only dropped off their coats before seeing Ryou. They put ice on for a few minuted before putting on their coats and heading back out.

Marik and Bakura walked together and headed for the staircase.

They walked up the stairs...

To the roof.

They stayed there for a few minutes, sitting on the edge of the building.

"Hey, Marik," Bakura suddenly said.

"Yes?"

"How about I teach you how to get to your appartment from here?"

"Well..." Marik knew what Bakura meant, but hoped he meant something else. "Let's see... First we stand up and walk over there to the elevator or stairs, and then-"

"You know that's not what I mean. I mean the shorter way."

"Ugh... I do but I'd rather not."

"Come on! Going down the chimney isn't that bad!"

"What!" Marik cried out in shock. "I thought you were going to say the fire escape!" He carefully stood up and backed away from Bakura. "No way! I will never..."

Bakura laughed and waved him over. "Calm down. I was joking. I _did_ mean the fire escape."

Marik calmed down and walked back over to him, but didn't sit back down. "Oh. Okay that makes more sense. And is more sane."

"You know what would have been a good idea? Me dressing up as Santa Claus and climbing down the chimney and scaring you."

"Nooooo!" Marik said with a laugh. "That's a terrible idea!"

"I know. Anyway..." Bakura stood up and held out a hand to Marik. Marik hesitantly walked closer and took hold of the hand. Neither of them were wearing gloves. Bakura led him closer to the ledge. He whispered in Marik's ear, "Ready?"

Marik shook his head and said, "Yes?"

"Are you sure?"

He nodded and said, "No?"

"I'll go first then." Bakura let go of Marik's hand and readied himself. It took all of Marik's willpower not to reach out and pull him back.

He turned around and knelt down on the edge, then dropped his legs over and hung on to the ledge. Then he braced his legs against the side of the bulding and prepared to do it. After a few more seconds, he pushed out slightly with his arms and twisted a bit as he fell towards the fire escape about two meters below him. He reached out a hand to this one brick that had always been sticking out two or three centimeters and briefly hung on to it to slow his fall, then held out his foot and pushed himself toward the wall away and from the railing. His back hit the wall and he slid down untill he was sitting. He looked up and saw Marik leaning over and clapping. He gave Marik a thumbs up and called out to him, "Thanks. See how easy I did that? It won't be that easy. But I promise that you'll make it."

Marik trusted Bakura. He always had. And he would when making the jump.

Without another delay, he called down, "I'm going now," and readied himself the same way Bakura had. He dropped his legs and hung from the edge of the building like Bakura had. He swung there for a few seconds, still feeling nervous. But Bakura reassured him from down below. "Don't worry. Just do what I did and relax. If you mess up, I'll catch you. Just remember to push off with your arms, not your legs. And try to grab the brick."

Marik nodded and took a deep breath. He braced his legs against the building and pushed off lightly with his arms. When he fell, he reached for the brick he had seen Bakura grab for briefly. But he was only a millimeter off and he missed it. "Bakura!" He had missed the oppurtunity to slow down! In a panic, he flailed a bit and shifter his positioning. But he rememberd to reach his foot out to the railing. His foot touched and he pushed. But the heel of his boot caught on the railing ahd he fel back awkardly. He closed his eyes and felt a tiny tug somewhere in his legs. But then he felt Bakura catch him and the tug faded.

He relaxed and was breathing hard. Bakura pulled him back a bit and his feet fell to the floor of the fire escape. "Oh. My. Gosh." Marik panted. Bakura sat both of them down against the wall. "That was scary. But exciting. You saw that I missed the..."

"It's alright," Bakura cut him off. "So did I the first time I tried it. All the brick does is help to keep you in the right spot to push on the railing and not break your legs when you fall back. Which would have happened to you if I wasn't here."

"You broke your leg?!"

"No! I didn't. I just sprained my ankle a bit."

"Was it bad?"

"It was terrible. Ryou babied me for a week while it was healing. Worst experience ever."

"Hahaha. Your injury, I mean."

"Oh no I felt alright. I'm used to injuries like that. I get into physical trouble all the time. It's part of living a life of crime. I've gotten used to pain. Anyway. After one more try I got the hang of it. From then on I just used it as a quick way to get home from up here, and I started practicing different tricks and skill jumps. Never hurt myself again. I never hurt myself the second time I try some dangerous stunt. I'm just that skillful. Maybe hanging out with me will make you pick up on it."

"Nope!" Marik responded automatically. "Not doing that ever again."

"Watch in a few months you'll get some text from me asking you over and you'll be on the roof and you'll jump down like I did to save time. Something like that."

"Yeah. I'll just watch you set up a situation like that and I _don't_ fall for it and I take the stairs like a normal person."

"We'll see. We'll see."

They sat there and each put an arm around the other. They watched the snow fall gently, but none fell on them becasue of the legde above and because they were up against the wall.

Suddenly, Marik sat up straight and cried out, "Wait! Who's window is this?" He remembered seeing a window when he had fallen. They were sitting below and next to it.

They both stood up and looked through the window, trying to identify people or furniture. "Oh it's yours," Bakura said.

"Oh fine then."

"What if it had been someone else's?"

"I would have moved."

"Why?"

"Because we can't just hang out outside other people's windows!"

"Correction: We _shouldn't_ hang out outside other people's windows."

"What do you mean by that?"

"We _shouldn't_," Bakura repeated. "Show me the law that says we _can't_."

"If I did," Marik said with a smile, "would you follow it anyway?"

"Probably not."

"So-"

"So it doesn't matter. Stay."

Marik sighed. "Fine. I was going to stay anyway."

They smiled at each other, took the other's hand, and stood near the railing, looking down on the city below.

They stayed there for about a minute or two before Bakura spoke up.

"Do you... hear music playing?"

"Oh you hear it too? I thought it was just me. Yeah it's that song again." The one from the card.

"Marik... I think it's..." He takes a step for the stairs down to his appartment. Marik stops him. "Who freaking cares? Enjoy the moment."

Bakura's frown morphs into a smile and he steps away from the stairs.. "Alright, then. I will."

They both stand there together, hand in hand, listening to the music and watching the snowflakes fall.

.

When the song finishes, Ryou closes the card and looks straight ahead. He breaks the fourth wall by looking at all of you, winking, and saying "Merry Christmas~! And a Happy New Year~!" Then he ducks back inside the window to Bakura's appartment and closes it.

And all was silent.

* * *

**Think of this next part as the closing credits. It's the same song, but with _slightly_ modified lyrics that I thought of.**

* * *

o/` o/` o/` o/` o/` o/` o/` o/`

It's Christmas  
And we walk alone  
Two stangers with no one to miss us  
On our own  
Out in the cold

Trudging onward  
Braving a harsh winter storm  
You and I  
Met passing by  
And now our spirits feel warm

I don't have anyone at home  
To talk to  
And you don't have anything  
To do  
So I'll spend my birthday with you  
I'll spend my birthday with you

It's Christmas  
And we are in love  
With the way that the soft snowflakes kiss us  
From far above  
The blustery breeze

Trudging onward  
Braving a harsh winter storm  
You and I  
Met passing by  
And now our spirits feel warm

I believe  
Thiefshipping is truly the only way  
And I like Christmas  
Because it's close to Marik's birthday

I don't have anyone at home  
To talk to  
And you don't have anything  
To do  
So I'll spend my Christmas with you  
I'll spend my Christmas with you  
I'll spend my Christmas with you  
I'll spend my Christmas with you

o/` o/` o/` o/` o/` o/` o/` o/`

* * *

_**~The End~**_

* * *

**Thanks for reading~! Thanks for all of the faves, follows, and reviews. I appreciate every one of them. Knowing that someone enjoys and appreciates my work is the best present ever to me. Merry Christmas~! And for those of you that don't celebrate Christmas, Happy Holidays~!**

**See you next time!**

**BYEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!**


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